Charlotte man charged with reporting fake shootings in Burlington

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James Edwards Miles

Charlotte man charged with reporting fake shootings in Burlington

James Edwards Miles

BURLINGTON, N.C. — Police say a Charlotte man was arrested Thursday at a Burlington hotel after he made several phony 911 calls regarding shootings that never happened.

James Edwards Miles, 37, is charged with four counts of misuse of a 911 system, two counts of filing a false police report, possessing drug paraphernalia, and injury to real property.

According to police, Miles used a cell phone to call 911 shortly after 4:15 a.m., saying he had shot the clerk at the Econo Lodge at 2133 Hanford Road. The suspect said he was staying in room 123.

Responding officers discovered there was no shooting and room 123 was unoccupied, police said.

Throughout the day, police say they responded to more phony calls about shootings from the same suspect.

After an “intensive investigation,” which involved speaking with every occupant of the hotel, police said they identified Miles as the suspect.

Police said Miles, who was in room 125, has “an extensive history with multiple arrests for filing false police reports and misuse of a 911 system.” He was released from the N.C. Department of Corrections last Saturday.